Wanted: Email – Dead or Alive? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Is email really dead? Rumors have circulated for awhile about the pending demise of email. It seems like each time a new communication technology is introduced, email is claimed to finally be obsolete. While companies do have access to other channels to reach people like social media, advertising, and direct mail, the reports of email’s death appear to be greatly exaggerated.

Email is actually still the preferred method of communication, and the fastest and most direct way to reach the customer. In fact, 94% of Americans online, older then the age of 12, say they use email regularly. 58% of adult Americans even check their email as the very first action of the morning. What’s even more telling? 64% of companies have indicated that their organizations’ investments in email are expected to further increase in 2013!

Email ROI

Email even generates a 2X return compared to other channels, where for every dollar spent on email marketing in 2011, there was a $40.56 return on investment. It looks like email isn’t dead, but rather evolving.

5 Tips to Create Engaging Emails

1. Trustworthy – Use a trusted email marketing platform for your campaign like Mailchimp or Aweber, and always maintain transparency and have unsubscribe options available as required by law.2. Conversational – Try to not make your emails feel like mass marketing campaigns by adding a personal touch.3. Relevant – Make sure you are always providing readers with relevant and worthwhile information.4. Coordinated Across Channels – Use you channels wisely to distribute your message across email, social media and word of mouth.5. Strategic – What’s the goal of your email campaign? Don’t just blast emails away without a targeted purpose and usefulness.

I hope it isn't dead as it appears to be the remaining form of quick communication that still permits entire sentences. You can gather I am of a different generation, one that still senses connection requires considerably more than 140 characters or symbol based texts. So please tell it to hang on for a while until this old lady is not communicating anymore.